Chair Sara Albolino, PhD
Coordinator of the system reliability area for the Center for Patient Safety - Tuscany Region
Chair WHO Collaborating Centre in Communication and Human Factors for Delivery of Safety and Quality Care
Secretary Foreign Relationship of the Italian Ergonomics Society Email: albolinos@aou-careggi.toscana.it

• Actively contribute to the dialogue and interaction of ergonomics and human factors specialists with other disciplines working for and within the healthcare domain (medicine, engineering, psychology, architecture, sociology, management sciences)
• Collaborate with human factors specialists from other domains and integrate their knowledge and practice within healthcare ergonomics knowledge domain
• Contribute to IEA congresses, HEPS conferences and other relevant conferences with special sessions, symposia, papers and group meetings on healthcare ergonomics
• Coordinate the HEPS Conference Steering Committee and support the organizers of the event
• Collect, review and share “best practices” and “best experiences” for improving human factors and ergonomics in healthcare
• Support to the promotion of HEPS2016 Triennal Conference see the summary report from the Chairs Pierre Falzon and Vanina Mollo ; starting from 2017, promotion and organization of the call for bids and support to the Federated Society that organize the event. Please go to the Linkedin page https://www.linkedin.com/groups/2224711 to get info about how to submit a bid for hosting HEPS2019

A collaborative group has been convened with TC13 (Musculoskeletal disorders).

A close link has been established with some TCs: ODAM, Musculoskeletal disorders, resulting in shared symposia at IEA2018.

A close link has been established with Human Computer Interaction – Italian Chapter
Close collaboration with ISQUA, WHO CC in Communication and Human Factors for Delivery of Safety and Quality Care

Memorandum Of Understanding with ISQUA for patient safety projects to develop in 2017-2020

Memorandum Of Understanding with ICOH Occupational Health Committee

A special issue in Ergonomics Journal about Healthcare Ergonomics issued in 2017

Q: How can a TC promote the IEA Triennial Congress ?

This was achieved very successfully through IEA2015 resulting in a full stream on Healthcare Ergonomics and Patient Safety organized as a series of symposia. The same effort is being realized for contributing to IEA2018

Bids Invited to Host 2019 HEPS Conference

The next HEPS conference will take place in 2019. We are calling for bids for the 2019 HEPS conference.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION:
1. Deadline for bids: May 31, 2018
2. Deadline for decision: July 6, 2018. The decision will be announced during IEA2018 Conference
3. The bidding process is organized and managed by Sara Albolino, the current chair of the Healthcare Ergonomics TC and Pierre Falzon, the chair of the HEPS steering committee.
4. If the HEPS steering committee is able to reach a decision regarding the site for the next HEPS conference, the organizers will be contacted to ensure their willingness and commitment to organize the conference. If the HEPS steering committee is unable to reach a decision, the final decision regarding the site of the next HEPS conference will be made by the IEA President.

The following criteria will be used to evaluate the bids:
1. International conference: the HEPS conferences should be held in various countries and continents.
2. HEPS is not a conference just for ergonomists. The HEPS conference should reach out to healthcare; there should be some evidence that healthcare professionals (e.g., physicians, nurses, pharmacists) will be attending the conference. There should also be some balance between academia and practitioners.
3. Ability to attract support from health and healthcare organizations (e.g., governmental and international organizations, industry, healthcare organizations, etc…). Evidence for relationships with and support from professional healthcare organizations (e.g., medical societies) needs to be provided.
4. Financial support would be an added strength.
5. Ability to involve and/or have support from ‘citizen’/consumer associations (e.g., patient groups).
6. Characteristics of the proposed site: access, attractiveness, safety, cost.
7. Experience of the organizers in organizing conferences and credibility of the organizers in HEPS.
8. Potential scientific credibility of the conference; proposed scientific focus (theme of the conference); description of process for submissions and scientific review of submissions; proposed structure of the conference; demonstrated ability to produce proceedings.
9. Plan for announcing the conference and disseminating information about the conference.
10. Support from local ergonomic society.
11. Need to avoid competition with related conferences.
12. Involvement of previous HEPS conference organizers in proposed conference.
13. Involvement of HEPS steering committee in conference (e.g., advisory board).
14. Commitment to organize the conference if selected.